Convertible baseball and tennis practice machine

Abstract

An improved compressed fluid ball projecting machine convertable for baseball and tennis practice. Improvements are in maneuverability, oscillation of the tennis barrel and immobility of the baseball barrel, remote control power for coaching options, replaceable and interchangeable barrels, variable timer speed control and a reliable hopper and feed system to enable firing of up to two hundred tennis balls unattended and without malfunction. Regarding the oscillation or lack of oscillation of the barrel, an actuator rod mounted on a rotatable disc causes such oscillation. When this rod is removed and the barrel clamped, this oscillation is eliminated. Concerning the variable timer control, such control is varied by two relatively movable rotatable notched discs. These dics contact a valve actuating mechanism and permit opening of a valve operated thereby only when the notches of the pair of discs are aligned and in contact with the valve actuating mechanism.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compressed air ball projecting machine having an ejection barrel to receive and eject balls, an air supply tank for subjecting a ball in said barrel to compressed air to eject said ball from said barrel, moving means for moving said barrel through lateral oscillations as balls of one type are cyclically ejected from said barrel to vary the direction of ejection of said balls,   an air line through which compressed air is pumped into said air supply tank,   valve means in said air line to regulate the flow of air therethrough,   said valve means having an actuating lever the position of which determines the passage and non-passage of air through said valve means,   a pair of notched discs engageable with said actuating lever,   a timing motor for rotating said notched discs past said actuating lever to change the position thereof in accordance with the rotational position of the notches on said discs,   said lever having an end with a thickness approximately equal to the thickness of said pair of discs whereby said actuating lever is moved only upon axial alignment of notched portions of both discs moving past said actuating lever,   said discs being further selectively rotatable relative to each other to vary the axial alignment of said notched portions.   
     
     
       2. A compressed air ball projecting machine as set forth in claim 1, and stabilizing means for stabilizing the direction of said barrel for ball ejection when balls of another type are used.   
     
     
       3. A compressed air ball projecting machine as in claim 1 wherein said discs have notches adjustably positioned to move said actuating lever selectively once every 360° of rotation of said discs, once every 180°, and once at 150° and 360° spacing. 
     
     
       4. A compressed air ball projecting machine having an ejection barrel to receive and eject balls, an air supply tank for subjecting a ball in said barrel to compressed air to eject said ball from said barrel, moving means for moving said barrel through lateral oscillations as balls of one type are cyclically ejected from said barrel to vary the direction of ejection of said balls,   said moving means comprising a rotating disc,   an acutator rod pivotally mounted on said disc at a pivot point spaced from the center thereof for circular movement of said rod,   a pair of fingers having said rod positioned therebetween for vertical movement, and   an eye bolt positioned between said disc and said fingers and having said rod extending therethrough,   said machine being pivotally mounted and having said eye bolt connected thereto whereby rotation of said disc causes lateral movement of said eye bolt and thus oscillation of said machine.   
     
     
       5. A compressed air ball projecting machine as set forth in claim 4, and stabilizing means for stabilizing the direction of said barrel for ball ejection when balls of another type are used.   
     
     
       6. A compressed air ball projecting machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein the eye of said eye bolt is vertically moveable to adjust the range of oscillation of said machine as desired.